International School of Tianjin DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE POLICY FACULTY BRAINSTORM ON AREAS FOR INCLUSION IN A COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE POLICY SUGGESTED STAGES FOR TIMELINE
PHILOSOPHY, PURPOSE, IMPLEMENATION AND EVALUATION Stage 1: Complete by early/mid September 2006 BOLDED text indicates questions for philosophy brainstorm · What is our language philosophy?
· What is the purpose of a language policy?
· When/where/for whom is the language policy applicable? · What are the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of teachers, other employees, parents and students?
· How will the language policy conform to IBO/WASC/CIS/NCCT expectations/requirements?
· Who monitors/assesses the implementation/evaluation/revision of the language policy?
· What are the consequences for non-compliance with different aspects of the policy?
· Will we have essential agreements regarding implementation of the policy? · What is the role of the host country language?
· (How) do we define bilingualism? (How) do we promote bilingualism? (How) do we cater for different kinds/needs of bilingualism/bilinguals in the school?
· What are the roles of English and other languages in our school?
· How do we communicate the language policy to the community?
· How do we define a language for learning policy?
· How/when will the language policy be revised? · Are there different/common expectations for different languages?
· How do we show we value all languages/cultures?
· What are the parents’ expectations of language in our school?
· What can we learn from other schools? · What language do we choose to teach at our school and to what level?
Stage 1: Complete by end of November 2006
· Do we use US or UK English?
· Do we use simplified or complicated Chinese characters? Do we use Pinyin? PRC Simplified
· Do we teach a uniform handwriting style? Elementary has just addressed this.
· What use of colloquial language is permitted/encouraged?
· What languages are used for school signage?
· What languages are used for school communication modes (newsletter, website, reports, handbooks etc) Can we email this out?
· What translation/interpreting services do we provide? For which language groups in the community are these made available? Who pays for these services?
CURRICULUM
Stage 2: Complete by end April 2007
· How do we ensure vertical articulation relating to language across the curriculum? Who monitors this? How is it assessed?
· How is assessment/reporting of student progress modified according to students’ language proficiency and age/grade level?
· (Why) is our assessment model performance-based?
· How do we use assessment of student progress in language acquisition to modify curriculum and teaching practices?
· Is our curriculum standards-based? If not, should it be? How is this achieved? What are the implications for language policy?
· Is our curriculum model assessment-driven? What are the implications for language policy?
· (To what extent) is our curriculum enquiry/research/constructivist based? What are the implications for language policy?
· How do we ensure differentiated learning and assessment in relation to language?
TEACHING PRACTICES
Stage 2: Complete by end April 2007
· What are the links between language and learning, and how do we accommodate these in our teaching practices?
· Is English the only language of instruction?
· What are the roles and responsibilities of teachers, TA’s and support staff?
· What are the expectations of teachers, assistants and students?
· Are all teachers expected to be language teachers?
· Do we provide ESL training for teachers?
· What are the implications of language policy for recruitment, orientation, motivation and retention of teachers?
· How do we ensure common practices of linguistic instruction across the curriculum?
· Do we provide language acquisition training for teachers?
· What other forms of professional development should we provide for teachers and TA’s?
· (How) do we appraise teacher competence in relation to implementation of language policy?
· Do we publish “correct/incorrect” student work? How important is presentation?
· To what degree should there be differentiation of instruction by policy, and how does differentiation of instruction relate to language learning and “conceptual” learning?
· How is subject specific vocabulary/language structure addressed?
· What assessment practices, including standardized tests, should we use?
· What accommodations are made in assessment/examinations for students of different language proficiencies (ESL/reading/writing/listening/speaking)?
· How do we differentiate instruction/assessment within the different language groups of non-English speaking students?
· How do we create/maintain high academic expectations of all students regardless of (English) language proficiency?
· How do we ensure the language development of all students (teaching, assessment and reporting practices)?
· How can teachers help/support each other? What help/support should the administration provide?
· Should we stream students according to language proficiency in non-language subjects?
MOTHER TONGUE
Stage 2: Complete by end of April 2007
· Do we have a mother tongue philosophy/program?
· What is the statement of purpose of the MT program?
· What MT programs are offered at different age/grade levels?
· Are all language groups included in the MT program?
· Is there a potential conflict between the MT and Chinese programs?
· Who pays for MT instruction?
· How do we align the MT program with IST/IBO philosophies, policies and practices?
· What resources should be provided? For which languages? Who pays?
· How is the MT program monitored/assessed/revised?
· How is students’ progress in the MT program assessed and reported?
· What are the parents’ expectations of the MT program?
· How much time should be given to the MT program?
· How much parental involvement should there be in the MT program? Do we train parents?
· How do we ensure that parents/outside teachers use teaching methodologies consistent with school and IB philosophies?
· What use should/can be made of outside agencies (eg. Korean academy) on site?
· Should we have more teacher assistants with other languages?
· How do we encourage ‘minority’ MT languages (eg. Italian, German)?
· Should we encourage MT academies or not? Is it helpful to spend 2-3 hrs at such academies to build MT?
· Why not get the Korean Academies on site? To teach MT language!
· Should MT instruction be given within the school day? If so what other subject is dropped/lessened? Do we drop host country language?
LANGUAGE OFFERINGS
Stage 3: Complete by end November 2007
· Once started, must the school offer a student the same foreign language until graduation?
· What are the criteria for choosing the language offerings in the IB Diploma program?
· Who pays for language classes (school versus ‘untaught’ languages in the IB diploma program)?
· How do we evaluate/revise the curriculum/teaching practices of the different language offerings?
· For each language how many levels do we offer?
· Do we provide language classes for employees and parents?
· How will teachers be employed/trained to teach the different language offerings?
· Is there a minimum number of students for a language class? What happens when students leave and the class gets smaller?
· What linguistic instruction do we provide in each language – e.g. aspects of speech, word forms, language structure, handwriting etc. To what extent are these common to all languages and how do we ensure consistency?
· How is linguistic instruction articulated vertically and horizontally within and between different languages and across the curriculum?
· How do we establish/maintain/monitor/evaluate/revise a common writing policy? Does the same policy apply for all languages?
· There are enough questions.
· Answers/feelings to these would encourage progress.
· Provide Mother tongue A?
Stage 1: Complete by end of November 2006
· What are the language criteria for admission and class placement?
· Are there different language criteria for admission/placement for different grade levels?
· Are there subject-specific language criteria for admission/placement?
· Who makes admissions/placement decisions? What is the decision-making process?
· Should there be enrollment quotas for different language groups?
· Do language criteria/standards affect students’ promotion/retention?
· Is there a level of language fluency required for graduation?
· Should there be a personal language plan for each student?
· When/how should students be assessed in their mother tongue for admission/placement/promotion/retention? Should this be uniform for all languages?
· What proportion of ESL students are there in classes at different grade levels?
· Are the placements to test appropriate? -- Background, age
· Maximum time in EAP?
· Exit criteria for EAP?
· Share rights and responsibilities as language learners to families.
Stage 1: Complete by the end of November 2006
· What are the philosophy and purpose of the ESL program?
· What ESL definitions do we use?
· What model(s) of ESL support do we have? Are they the same at all grade levels?
· Which students do we support and for how long?
· Are all teachers ESL teachers?
· What ESL training do we provide for ESL teachers and all other teachers?
· What are the ESL class quotas? Who monitors this?
· What are student/staffing ratios for ESL? Is this different for different grade levels?
· What are the entry/exit criteria for the ESL program by grade level?
· Are there differences in ESL support offered according to the different IBO programs (PYP, MYP, DP)
· How are ESL students assessed/reported compared with their peers?
· Are there different homework expectations for ESL students?
· What after/out of school provision do we provide for ESL students? Who provides this provision, and who pays?
· How do we promote ESL status to parents as a positive thing?
· Should there be an additional fee charged to parents for ESL support?
· We should change our terminology from “ESL” to “EAL” or “ELL”
· Do we exit ESL students from ESL too quickly?
· Do we have adequate ESL support (staffing)?
· Do we have ways for collaboration between ESL/non-ESL faculty?
· Should ESL kids have to take Chinese?
· Is there adequate parent education about ESL?
· Are we using the best entry/exit test?
Stage 1: Complete by end of November 2006
· What is our definition of social language?
· Which languages may be spoken? When? Where? (In classrooms, buildings, grounds, field trips, sports etc)
· How do we address/speak with each other, eg. teachers/students/peers/parents/support staff?
· What restrictions, if any, should be placed on social language?
· Do we have conventions for written language when communicating with each other?
· What inducements should be used to encourage agreed standards of spoken/written social language?
· How are parents of varying languages/cultures to be included?
· How do we ensure social inclusion of all students on campus and off campus?
Stage 1: Complete by end of November 2006
· How do we use technology to promote language development?
· How do we use technology to support language policy across the curriculum?
· How do we use technology to promote different languages/cultures?
· What access to technology do we provide for students, staff and parents?
· In what languages, including mother tongue, do we provide technology/resources including computer software, books and periodicals?
· What are the implications of the language policy for the library?
· What are the implications of the language policy for the budget?
· Should we get a language lab?
· Should we have listening counters?
Table of Contents
DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE POLICY
FACULTY BRAINSTORM ON AREAS FOR INCLUSION IN A COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE POLICY
SUGGESTED STAGES FOR TIMELINE
LANGUAGE POLICY:
PHILOSOPHY, PURPOSE, IMPLEMENATION AND EVALUATIONStage 1: Complete by early/mid September 2006
BOLDED text indicates questions for philosophy brainstorm
· What is our language philosophy?
· What is the purpose of a language policy?
· When/where/for whom is the language policy applicable?
· What are the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of teachers, other employees, parents and students?
· How will the language policy conform to IBO/WASC/CIS/NCCT expectations/requirements?
· Who monitors/assesses the implementation/evaluation/revision of the language policy?
· What are the consequences for non-compliance with different aspects of the policy?
· Will we have essential agreements regarding implementation of the policy?
· What is the role of the host country language?
· (How) do we define bilingualism? (How) do we promote bilingualism? (How) do we cater for different kinds/needs of bilingualism/bilinguals in the school?
· What are the roles of English and other languages in our school?
· How do we communicate the language policy to the community?
· How do we define a language for learning policy?
· How/when will the language policy be revised?
· Are there different/common expectations for different languages?
· How do we show we value all languages/cultures?
· What are the parents’ expectations of language in our school?
· What can we learn from other schools?
· What language do we choose to teach at our school and to what level?
STANDARDIZATION OF LANGUAGE
Stage 1: Complete by end of November 2006· Do we use US or UK English?
· Do we use simplified or complicated Chinese characters? Do we use Pinyin? PRC Simplified
· Do we teach a uniform handwriting style? Elementary has just addressed this.
· What use of colloquial language is permitted/encouraged?
· What languages are used for school signage?
· What languages are used for school communication modes (newsletter, website, reports, handbooks etc) Can we email this out?
· What translation/interpreting services do we provide? For which language groups in the community are these made available? Who pays for these services?
CURRICULUM
Stage 2: Complete by end April 2007· How do we ensure vertical articulation relating to language across the curriculum? Who monitors this? How is it assessed?
· How is assessment/reporting of student progress modified according to students’ language proficiency and age/grade level?
· (Why) is our assessment model performance-based?
· How do we use assessment of student progress in language acquisition to modify curriculum and teaching practices?
· Is our curriculum standards-based? If not, should it be? How is this achieved? What are the implications for language policy?
· Is our curriculum model assessment-driven? What are the implications for language policy?
· (To what extent) is our curriculum enquiry/research/constructivist based? What are the implications for language policy?
· How do we ensure differentiated learning and assessment in relation to language?
TEACHING PRACTICES
Stage 2: Complete by end April 2007· What are the links between language and learning, and how do we accommodate these in our teaching practices?
· Is English the only language of instruction?
· What are the roles and responsibilities of teachers, TA’s and support staff?
· What are the expectations of teachers, assistants and students?
· Are all teachers expected to be language teachers?
· Do we provide ESL training for teachers?
· What are the implications of language policy for recruitment, orientation, motivation and retention of teachers?
· How do we ensure common practices of linguistic instruction across the curriculum?
· Do we provide language acquisition training for teachers?
· What other forms of professional development should we provide for teachers and TA’s?
· (How) do we appraise teacher competence in relation to implementation of language policy?
· Do we publish “correct/incorrect” student work? How important is presentation?
· To what degree should there be differentiation of instruction by policy, and how does differentiation of instruction relate to language learning and “conceptual” learning?
· How is subject specific vocabulary/language structure addressed?
· What assessment practices, including standardized tests, should we use?
· What accommodations are made in assessment/examinations for students of different language proficiencies (ESL/reading/writing/listening/speaking)?
· How do we differentiate instruction/assessment within the different language groups of non-English speaking students?
· How do we create/maintain high academic expectations of all students regardless of (English) language proficiency?
· How do we ensure the language development of all students (teaching, assessment and reporting practices)?
· How can teachers help/support each other? What help/support should the administration provide?
· Should we stream students according to language proficiency in non-language subjects?
MOTHER TONGUE
Stage 2: Complete by end of April 2007· Do we have a mother tongue philosophy/program?
· What is the statement of purpose of the MT program?
· What MT programs are offered at different age/grade levels?
· Are all language groups included in the MT program?
· Is there a potential conflict between the MT and Chinese programs?
· Who pays for MT instruction?
· How do we align the MT program with IST/IBO philosophies, policies and practices?
· What resources should be provided? For which languages? Who pays?
· How is the MT program monitored/assessed/revised?
· How is students’ progress in the MT program assessed and reported?
· What are the parents’ expectations of the MT program?
· How much time should be given to the MT program?
· How much parental involvement should there be in the MT program? Do we train parents?
· How do we ensure that parents/outside teachers use teaching methodologies consistent with school and IB philosophies?
· What use should/can be made of outside agencies (eg. Korean academy) on site?
· Should we have more teacher assistants with other languages?
· How do we encourage ‘minority’ MT languages (eg. Italian, German)?
· Should we encourage MT academies or not? Is it helpful to spend 2-3 hrs at such academies to build MT?
· Why not get the Korean Academies on site? To teach MT language!
· Should MT instruction be given within the school day? If so what other subject is dropped/lessened? Do we drop host country language?
LANGUAGE OFFERINGS
Stage 3: Complete by end November 2007· Once started, must the school offer a student the same foreign language until graduation?
· What are the criteria for choosing the language offerings in the IB Diploma program?
· Who pays for language classes (school versus ‘untaught’ languages in the IB diploma program)?
· How do we evaluate/revise the curriculum/teaching practices of the different language offerings?
· For each language how many levels do we offer?
· Do we provide language classes for employees and parents?
· How will teachers be employed/trained to teach the different language offerings?
· Is there a minimum number of students for a language class? What happens when students leave and the class gets smaller?
· What linguistic instruction do we provide in each language – e.g. aspects of speech, word forms, language structure, handwriting etc. To what extent are these common to all languages and how do we ensure consistency?
· How is linguistic instruction articulated vertically and horizontally within and between different languages and across the curriculum?
· How do we establish/maintain/monitor/evaluate/revise a common writing policy? Does the same policy apply for all languages?
· There are enough questions.
· Answers/feelings to these would encourage progress.
· Provide Mother tongue A?
ADMISSION AND PLACEMENT
Stage 1: Complete by end of November 2006· What are the language criteria for admission and class placement?
· Are there different language criteria for admission/placement for different grade levels?
· Are there subject-specific language criteria for admission/placement?
· Who makes admissions/placement decisions? What is the decision-making process?
· Should there be enrollment quotas for different language groups?
· Do language criteria/standards affect students’ promotion/retention?
· Is there a level of language fluency required for graduation?
· Should there be a personal language plan for each student?
· When/how should students be assessed in their mother tongue for admission/placement/promotion/retention? Should this be uniform for all languages?
· What proportion of ESL students are there in classes at different grade levels?
· Are the placements to test appropriate? -- Background, age
· Maximum time in EAP?
· Exit criteria for EAP?
· Share rights and responsibilities as language learners to families.
ESL PROGRAM
Stage 1: Complete by the end of November 2006· What are the philosophy and purpose of the ESL program?
· What ESL definitions do we use?
· What model(s) of ESL support do we have? Are they the same at all grade levels?
· Which students do we support and for how long?
· Are all teachers ESL teachers?
· What ESL training do we provide for ESL teachers and all other teachers?
· What are the ESL class quotas? Who monitors this?
· What are student/staffing ratios for ESL? Is this different for different grade levels?
· What are the entry/exit criteria for the ESL program by grade level?
· Are there differences in ESL support offered according to the different IBO programs (PYP, MYP, DP)
· How are ESL students assessed/reported compared with their peers?
· Are there different homework expectations for ESL students?
· What after/out of school provision do we provide for ESL students? Who provides this provision, and who pays?
· How do we promote ESL status to parents as a positive thing?
· Should there be an additional fee charged to parents for ESL support?
· We should change our terminology from “ESL” to “EAL” or “ELL”
· Do we exit ESL students from ESL too quickly?
· Do we have adequate ESL support (staffing)?
· Do we have ways for collaboration between ESL/non-ESL faculty?
· Should ESL kids have to take Chinese?
· Is there adequate parent education about ESL?
· Are we using the best entry/exit test?
SOCIAL LANGUAGE
Stage 1: Complete by end of November 2006· What is our definition of social language?
· Which languages may be spoken? When? Where? (In classrooms, buildings, grounds, field trips, sports etc)
· How do we address/speak with each other, eg. teachers/students/peers/parents/support staff?
· What restrictions, if any, should be placed on social language?
· Do we have conventions for written language when communicating with each other?
· What inducements should be used to encourage agreed standards of spoken/written social language?
· How are parents of varying languages/cultures to be included?
· How do we ensure social inclusion of all students on campus and off campus?
TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES
Stage 1: Complete by end of November 2006· How do we use technology to promote language development?
· How do we use technology to support language policy across the curriculum?
· How do we use technology to promote different languages/cultures?
· What access to technology do we provide for students, staff and parents?
· In what languages, including mother tongue, do we provide technology/resources including computer software, books and periodicals?
· What are the implications of the language policy for the library?
· What are the implications of the language policy for the budget?
· Should we get a language lab?
· Should we have listening counters?